How to Use a Social Story with Your Child

A Social Story is a written or visual guide describing social interactions, situations, behaviors, or concepts that can be difficult for children with autism as well as other diagnoses to understand. The goal of sharing a social story with your child is to let them learn how to deal with a certain situation in a positive and reassuring manner. The situations could include bullying, personal space, hygiene, making friends, describing feelings, and much more!

The hypothesis behind a social story is that it provides a “theory of mind” to children with autism. A “theory of mind” is important because it allows an individual to understand another person’s perspective, beliefs, or desires. In other words, it is when you “put yourself in another person’s shoes”. This concept can be challenging for some children. Here are some examples of social stories:

Social stories are beneficial because they:

• Reinforce correct behavior

• Provides visual examples of expected behavior

• Helps involve the child in the learning process

• Can personalize it to each individual child

Reference: S. (n.d.). Social Stories. Retrieved from http://www.educateautism.com/social-stories.html

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